World's Fair Ephemeral and Graphic Materials Collection

The idea of world's fairs originated from a French tradition of national exhibitions, a tradition that concluded with the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 held in Paris. This fair was soon followed by other national exhibitions throughout Europe and the United Kingdom.

The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations was held in 1851 in London's Hyde Park and is known as the first international exposition. The Great Exhibition was organized by Henry Cole and Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, to celebrate modern industrial technology and design. It became a platform for countries from around the world to display their achievements.

This exposition set the precedent for the many international exhibitions or world's fairs that have continued to be held to the present. The character and focus of world expositions has evolved to keep up with the changing times. Between 1851 and the 1920, the Golden Age of World's Fairs, the fairs focused on industrialization and celebrating the accomplishments of each country from around the world. Following World War I, the fairs focused on Modernism and "World of Tomorrow." Today, the fairs take a little from both eras: they celebrate modern technology and look to what the future holds for the world.

Even though the fairs have changed over time, they have always allowed people to explore the world outside of their everyday experience. They allowed people to learn about other cultures and experience ways of life outside their normal way of living. The fairs introduced the world to new scientific advancements and new inventions such as the Ferris wheel, telephone, zipper, Cracker Jacks, x-ray, fax machines, and television.

The world's fairs also led to the construction of some of the world's most notable landmarks. Buildings such as the Crystal Palace, constructed for the 1851 Great Exhibition in London; the Eiffel Tower, constructed for the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris; and the Space Needle, constructed for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, were all constructed for the fairs in their respective towns.

From the guide to the World's Fair Ephemeral and Graphic Materials Collection, 1851-2010 and undated, 1851-1915, (State of Maryland and Historical Collections)